Awareness of Infant Feeding: Nursing Program Student Survey
Abstract
Child nutrition is an important factor for their physical and neuro-psychological development and overall health not only in childhood but also in adulthood. The World Health Organization recommends that mothers should be informed about the advantages and the enormous benefits of breastfeeding. It is part of the professional responsibility of nurses to promote good health care habits among women in fertile age and raise the overall health awareness of parents. The aim of the study was to research the knowledge of infant feeding among students in the Nursing Program. An anonymous survey was conducted among students in the Nursing I class. The survey group included a total of 51 students, ranging from 19 to 47 years old. All analyses were conducted using Statgraphics Plus software, version 2.1. It was found that students rate the advantages of breastfeeding for the mother as follows: faster recovery (29.4%); reduces the risk of cancer in women (21.6%), faster recovery of the weight of the mother before birth (27.5%). The majority of students were able to point out specific steps to successful breastfeeding and the respective time schedules of infant feeding (70%). The study found less satisfactory results of the participants’ knowledge on how to prepare infant dairy blends 19 (30.3%) and the duration of breastfeeding in 11 (21.6%). It can be concluded that students in the Nursing Program demonstrate good knowledge of infant nutrition.
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Introduction
Healthy nutrition of child is an important factor for his/her physical and nervous-psychic development. 1,2 World Health Organization recommend mothers to be informed on the advantages of breast feeding. Specialists in health care centers exercise health-promotion initiatives among women in fertile age, take care of them and improve health awareness of parents. Infants development, their health as well the health of the mother is based on protection, encouragement and support of breast feeding by nurses and midwives. Promotion of early breast feeding is a trend in terms of national, public support during recent years. UNICEF emphasis: "Breast milk is the best food for infants and no other food or liquid can replace it during first few months of the new born".3,4,5,6
Job description of nurses includes activities like promotion of breast feeding; counseling for hygiene and feeding; consultations on bring up the new born, including nutrition, hygiene, immunizations, monitoring of the nutrition regimen for infants etc. 7 The obligatory subject "Nurse’s cares at homes", in the syllabus of specialty "Nurse" is studied II and III semester. Thus they are made responsible to promote and encourage Brest feeding in their community.
So this study is conducted on nursing students with the aim to assess the awareness of students regarding Brest feeding and its advantages.
Conclusion
Nursing students are familiar with the advantages of breast feeding for mother and infant and are convinced in its support. They are in favor to encourage Brest feeding. Medical specialists should inform young mothers on advantage of breast feeding at time of pregnancy and recommend it during first six months after delivery. Proper and balanced nutrition of child secure optimum development and protects form diseases in mature age. It is necessary to create more efficient strategies for consultations as well more frequent usage of media, especially TV to promote breast feeding in communities.